Jawan, Pathaan, Dunki… 2023 will be the year of Shah Rukh Khan

A new brand of superstars emerged between the 80s and 90s, and only a handful of them are still around. Shah Rukh Khan is undoubtedly one of them. In the recent past, however, he’s had a string of disappointing films that not only blew up at the box office, but were harshly criticized – for example, his last theatrical release Zero, directed by Aanand L Rai in 2018. SRK just disappeared from the big screen after that. And now, after a period of four years, all of that is about to change.

SRK IS BACK, AND HOW!

Yes, King Khan is back with not one but three very promising films, all scheduled for 2023. Shah Rukh Khan kicks off the year with the action-spy thriller, Pathaan, alongside Deepika Padukone and John Abraham. Directed by famed wartime director Siddharth Anand, Pathaan is set to hit theaters the week of Republic Day.

In the scorching heat of June, the actor will be seen again in Atlee Kumar’s film, Jawan. The film also features beloved Southern actress Nayanthara. Apparently, the plot of the film revolves around a train hijacking and Shah Rukh Khan will be seen in a dual role. In Jawan’s teaser, which dropped on Friday, June 3, SRK is seen at his best. It will be a pan-Indian film, scheduled for release on June 2, 2023.

And if that wasn’t enough, he also has a Rajkumari Hirani Dunki in his cat, which is set to hit the big screen on Christmas weekend 2023. The film is set to be a lighthearted comedy-drama, typical of the Hirani brand.

With no less than three films set to release, all directed by the country’s top filmmakers, Shah Rukh Khan is clearly on fire! A comeback, what can I say?

CAN SRK SAVE BOLLYWOOD?

That Bollywood is in a rut right now is an understatement. Aside from sporadic hits like Sooryavanshi, Gangubai Kathiawadi, The Kashmir Files and the recent Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, there isn’t much to say. At the same time, films like Pushpa: The Rise, RRR and KGF 2 tore through the box office, breaking and setting new records every day, especially in the Hindi belt. Also this Friday, it’s Akshay Kumar’s Samrat Prithviraj against Vijay Sethupathi’s Kamal Haasan, Fahadh Faasil and Vikram and Adivi Sesh’s Major at the box office, and no one knows which movie is likely to lag in the race.

Then Bollywood’s hopes rest on Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt’s Brahmastra, or Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor’s Laal Singh Chaddha, for that matter. At the risk of sounding cynical, even if these films are doing well, one wonders if they would be able to make up the shortfall?

So, 2023 is the year we hope the sun will shine on Bollywood. Armed with that signature Darr-esque laugh, as we saw in Jawan’s teaser, and that rugged look, Shah Rukh Khan is ready for war. We are ready, too, to have a good time at the cinema.